大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.28

3.28

論。四者緣熏至示現故　釋曰。緣熏習鏡者。標其名也。用大外熏故謂之緣。令發善心故名熏習。起善法影故喻云鏡。謂此相大出纏之時而為鏡智。起大作用為緣熏發眾生之心生厭樂等。名緣熏習。此諸行德是佛智影。即說佛智喻之名鏡。故佛地云。大圓鏡智能起眾生諸善法影。何故唯現善法影耶。以不善等如闇等質非是影像所起緣故。若說法身。周遍法界示現萬化亦名虛空。故新論云。真實不空示現大義清淨如虛空明鏡。次下辨相。文復二節。謂依法出離故者。出緣熏體。遍照已下顯緣熏相。依前出纏法身之體起大智慧光明義用能照法界眾生之心隨其所應示現萬化令其修習隨分善根。故云令修善根隨念示現等新論少異。義不越此。

[Treatise:] Fourth is the mirror of conditioning perfuming, [which is because, relying on the dharma emerging from separation, it universally illuminates the minds of sentient beings, cultivates roots of goodness, and manifests in accordance with their thoughts.] [Commentary:] "The mirror of conditioning perfuming" introduces its name. The outward perfuming of the greatness of activity is called "conditioning." Causing the arising of wholesome minds is called "perfuming." Raising the reflections of wholesome dharmas is compared to a "mirror." That is to say, when this greatness of attributes emerges from bondage, it becomes mirror cognition, initiating great activity to serve as a condition that perfumes and stimulates the minds of sentient beings to give rise to revulsion, aspiration, and so forth; this is called "conditioning perfuming." These virtuous practices are the reflections of the Buddha's cognition; thus the Buddha's cognition is spoken of figuratively as a mirror. Hence the Buddhabhūmi says: "The great mirror cognition can produce the reflections of all wholesome dharmas of sentient beings." Why does it only manifest reflections of wholesome dharmas? Because unwholesome things, like objects in darkness, are not the conditions that give rise to reflections. If speaking of the dharmakāya, pervading the dharmadhātu and manifesting myriad transformations is also called "empty space." Hence the new translation says: "The great meaning of the truly not empty, manifesting, pure like empty space and a bright mirror." Next, in distinguishing its characteristics, the text again has two sections. "Relying on the dharma emerging from separation" sets forth the substance of conditioning perfuming. From "universally illuminates" downward reveals the characteristics of conditioning perfuming: relying on the substance of the preceding dharmakāya that has emerged from bondage, it gives rise to the meaning and activity of the great radiance of wisdom, capable of illuminating the minds of sentient beings in the dharmadhātu, manifesting myriad transformations in accordance with what is appropriate, and causing them to cultivate roots of goodness according to their capacity; hence it says "causes them to cultivate roots of goodness, manifesting in accordance with their thoughts," and so forth. The new translation is slightly different, but the meaning does not go beyond this.